Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions are expected to be formed in the process of surfactant flooding for heavy oil reservoirs in order to strengthen the fluidity of heavy oil and enhance oil recovery. However, there is still a lack of detailed understanding of mechanisms and effects involved in the flow of O/W emulsions in porous media. In this study, a pore-scale transparent model packed with glass beads was first used to investigate the transport and retention mechanisms of in situ generated O/W emulsions. Then, a double-sandpack model with different permeabilities was used to further study the effect of in situ formed O/W emulsions on the improvement of sweep efficiency and oil recovery. The pore-scale visualization experiment presented an in situ emulsification process. The in situ formed O/W emulsions could absorb to the surface of pore-throats, and plug pore-throats through mechanisms of capture-plugging (by a single emulsion droplet) and superposition-plugging or annulus-plugging (by multiple emulsion droplets). The double-sandpack experiments proved that the in situ formed O/W emulsion droplets were beneficial for the mobility control in the high permeability sandpack and the oil recovery enhancement in the low permeability sandpack. The size distribution of the produced emulsions proved that larger pressures were capable to displace larger O/W emulsion droplets out of the pore-throat and reduce their retention volumes.
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October 2018
Research-Article
Pore-Scale Transport Mechanisms and Macroscopic Displacement Effects of In-Situ Oil-in-Water Emulsions in Porous Media
Chuan Lu,
Chuan Lu
Research Institute of China
National Offshore Oil Corporation,
Beijing 100027, Chaoyang, China
e-mail: luchuan2106@163.com
National Offshore Oil Corporation,
Beijing 100027, Chaoyang, China
e-mail: luchuan2106@163.com
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Wei Zhao,
Wei Zhao
Department of Petroleum Engineering,
China University of Petroleum-Beijing,
Beijing 102249, Changping, China
e-mail: zhaoweicup@126.com
China University of Petroleum-Beijing,
Beijing 102249, Changping, China
e-mail: zhaoweicup@126.com
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Yongge Liu,
Yongge Liu
Department of Petroleum Engineering,
China University of Petroleum (East China),
Shandong 257061, Huangdao, China
e-mail: yg198706@163.com
China University of Petroleum (East China),
Shandong 257061, Huangdao, China
e-mail: yg198706@163.com
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Xiaohu Dong
Xiaohu Dong
Department of Petroleum Engineering,
China University of Petroleum-Beijing,
Beijing 102249, Changping, China
e-mail: donghu820@163.com
China University of Petroleum-Beijing,
Beijing 102249, Changping, China
e-mail: donghu820@163.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Chuan Lu
Research Institute of China
National Offshore Oil Corporation,
Beijing 100027, Chaoyang, China
e-mail: luchuan2106@163.com
National Offshore Oil Corporation,
Beijing 100027, Chaoyang, China
e-mail: luchuan2106@163.com
Wei Zhao
Department of Petroleum Engineering,
China University of Petroleum-Beijing,
Beijing 102249, Changping, China
e-mail: zhaoweicup@126.com
China University of Petroleum-Beijing,
Beijing 102249, Changping, China
e-mail: zhaoweicup@126.com
Yongge Liu
Department of Petroleum Engineering,
China University of Petroleum (East China),
Shandong 257061, Huangdao, China
e-mail: yg198706@163.com
China University of Petroleum (East China),
Shandong 257061, Huangdao, China
e-mail: yg198706@163.com
Xiaohu Dong
Department of Petroleum Engineering,
China University of Petroleum-Beijing,
Beijing 102249, Changping, China
e-mail: donghu820@163.com
China University of Petroleum-Beijing,
Beijing 102249, Changping, China
e-mail: donghu820@163.com
Contributed by the Petroleum Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESOURCES TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received February 18, 2016; final manuscript received May 2, 2018; published online May 29, 2018. Assoc. Editor: Daoyong (Tony) Yang.
J. Energy Resour. Technol. Oct 2018, 140(10): 102904 (8 pages)
Published Online: May 29, 2018
Article history
Received:
February 18, 2016
Revised:
May 2, 2018
Citation
Lu, C., Zhao, W., Liu, Y., and Dong, X. (May 29, 2018). "Pore-Scale Transport Mechanisms and Macroscopic Displacement Effects of In-Situ Oil-in-Water Emulsions in Porous Media." ASME. J. Energy Resour. Technol. October 2018; 140(10): 102904. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4040200
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